Simple Ways to Strengthen Your Branding on Social Media

We all know those brands you can spot from miles away – the bright reds of Coca-Cola, the golden arches, even the clean, monochromatic look of Apple. But is it possible to achieve this level of brand recognition as a small business?

It is certainly possible to hone your branding; if your brand feels disjointed or you aren’t sure where to begin with your business’s branding on social media, there are a few simple steps you can take to get started.

First, it’s important to choose the right networks. Although some big brands may choose to do it all, not all social media platforms will work well for your small-to-medium-sized business. Instead, choose to focus on a select few networks that will showcase your business best. In the end, it’s better to perform excellently on two or three central platforms than risk missing the mark by overwhelming yourself with the task of keeping up with many accounts. Keep your brand name consistent across all networks as well, as this will help consumers to be able to easily identify your company’s presence as they move between social media platforms. This also helps with SEO, as your business’s social media networks may show up on a search of your business name.

Unsure which social media platforms may be best for you? Here is a break-down of main social media platforms and which types of businesses may benefit from a presence on each one:

Facebook: Good for focusing on brand awareness, especially if your target audience is adults. Also has a heterogeneous user base, meaning you can touch a great variety of user demographics

Instagram: Useful for reaching young adults specifically, works well for businesses that rely heavily on images

Twitter: Allows you to become part of a conversation among consumers, works well for businesses who can afford to communicate both ways (this platform requires more than just putting out one-way tweets)

Pinterest: Reach a large population of women, especially helpful for product-driven businesses such as retailers, clothing, jewelry, art, etc.

Your brand’s consistency should go further than just your username or handle. By focusing on your visual branding as well, consumers will be able to immediately recognize your company across all social media channels. This consistency includes color and design—pick a color palette and use the same logo on all social networks. You should even try to keep your photography filters consistent so that your feed is coherent. This is especially important for primarily visual platforms, like Instagram, and can be a helpful trick if you are using stock photos—filter your stock photos with the same settings to make them your own! You can also create templates on graphic design programs, like Canva, or use presets on any photo editing software so that no matter who is creating content, the color scheme and overall look will stay consistent. Aside from the visual feel of your feed, don’t forget to think about streamlining your content topics as well. Pick a few topics that are closely-related to your industry and condense your efforts to producing content related to these few topics. By creating a strategy and guidelines for which topics you want to share on your page, you will be able to avoid a feed that turns into a mash-up of unrelated posts.

When you choose which content topics you view as central to your brand, remember to show your personality and showcase what your business is all about. Consumers now are looking for authenticity, rather than someone who will do or say something just to fit a mold. What makes your company special and innovative? What principles drive your company culture? You can use relevant hashtags, including a business-specific hashtag, to demonstrate that your social media presence directly reflects your company’s culture. Just as important as regular posts, your bio is an opportunity to make a strong first impression on users. In your bio, use words that establish who your company is compared to your competition and where your edge is above the others—craft a statement that your brand in one glance. Plus, your bio should make a user want more after they read, whether that is through a follow of your account, a look through your feed, or a click on a link to your website.

Additionally, be open with local consumers about who you are, as this will help consumers to form a better connection with your brand. There is a multitude of ways to build honesty on your social media, but you can start by just putting yourself out there as a business owner—talk directly, but wisely, with your consumers via comments, messages, and videos; don’t hide negative reviews, but instead respond to them; showcase previous clients; highlight the work your team does on a daily basis; talk about your involvement in the community; and be real about how your business is impacting people’s lives. The more honest you are, the better your brand will be received and remembered by the online community.

Lastly, one of the simplest, yet most potent, ways you can start immediately strengthening your social media branding is by making an effort to post regularly and stay active on the platforms you choose to be a part of. As you do this, though, be sure to pay attention to what your followers will want to read versus simply cranking out content to meet a deadline. Instead of focusing on what you would want to see, look to data and the voices of your audience to pinpoint what will resonate with them. You can also use paid social campaigns to promote your content to reach even further. As organic reach may not be enough to cut through online clutter, paid promotions can help you to gain visibility and generate leads. As you craft a campaign, ensure that your campaign offers value to all participants and does not marginalize certain groups of people who may engage with your ad.

Getting your brand out on the web can seem like an overwhelming task, especially if you are new to the social media scene. By starting simple and taking intentional steps, like staying active, honest, and focused, you will be well on your way to a consistent brand that can be easily recognized by consumers.

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